Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second novel in the Whimbrel House series following the first novel, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. While I realized this was part of a series when I first obtained an ARC, my mind went blank when I picked up my Kindle to read it. I was able to catch up easily, however, I would highly recommend that other readers begin with the first novel before beginning this one. I will most likely go back and read the first just so I gain some additional foundation that leads up into the third novel, Boy of Chaotic Making. This story takes place about a week after events in the first novel, so, again, it is recommended not to follow my lead and instead read the series in order.

In this continuation readers follow along with the characters of Whimbrel House, where events have occurred at the end of the last story. In this ensemble cast of characters, readers meet (or become reacquainted with) Merritt Fernsby who is adjusting to his new abilities. The characters are dealing with the aftermath from events involving Silas Hogwood. Since I did not read the first story this part took me a bit to piece together, but it came together nicely. Merritt and his partner, Hulda, who is trying to figure out what happened to her both, each have their own objectives in this story. There is a heavier focus on friend and boss of Hulda, Myra, in the story that helps drive the plot forward. The plot in this story is lighter than most others in the genre, but it does appear that it is building up to something bigger.

There is an ease and coziness to Holmberg’s writing. As this is the third series of hers that I have read, I love how the style carries through each, so they all feel connected in a way even though they are separate stories. This story has great world-building and, again, it seems like there is more beyond even a third novel, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Since it is not obvious in the writing how long the story will go, this brings a little too much uncertainty for me. Usually in a series you can tell how fast or slow the pacing should be to make sure everything is accomplished by the end. In this one, it seems it could stop at book three or could go longer, so it was difficult to make any judgements or connections. Even so, I still loved the world and characters as they were captivating. Overall, this was a great novel and I look forward to reading more from the series in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, 47North, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

4 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining; Love Owein

The Whimbrel House is no longer magical, but Merritt’s troubles are far from over. His magical capabilities are flourishing, and he has no idea how to control them (or minimize the side effects). Hulda is in a complicated position, with Myra missing and LIKER wanting to take over BIKER.
Can the duo deal with the new developments and safeguard their blooming relationship? Why does it feel like the danger hasn’t yet passed? What do they have to deal with this time?
The story comes in the limited-third person POV of Hulda, Merritt, and Owein.

What I Like:
Owein is a darling. I love all scenes with him. His vulnerability and need for a family come across very clearly. Of course, his magic is powerful and a treat to read.
Merritt’s character arc is better in this one as we already know the answers to who, what, and why. His fears, uncertainties, pain, and his struggle in handling his magic feel real and tangible. The family confrontation scene is just right, neither dramatic nor too light.
Baptiste and Beth Taylor continue to do their job and more. It’s great to meet them again in this book. I hope they’ll have meaty roles in book three as well.
There are a couple of new characters who may or may not be the good guys. We get the gist of their characters without going into a lot of detail. It keeps the pacing nice and steady. (Normally, I prefer more detailed arcs, but this works better here.)
The magic and world-building are never OTT or overwhelming. It doesn’t go illogical or weird at any point. Those who read book one will know what to expect and won’t be disappointed with the elements in this book.
The ending is, of course, intriguing, though a part of me is worried about Owein. Merritt and Hulda have an HFN, which will, hopefully, turn into HEA in book three.

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
I wondered more than once if Hulda was this annoying in book one. Somehow, she just didn’t seem to be fully there in the first half. While things got better, Hulda feels more uncertain, tentative, and constantly on the back foot.
Myra’s character, though a prominent role, doesn’t do anything to establish her as a person. What little we get of her is not enough to make me feel one way or another. In fact, I was annoyed with Myra and Hulda many times throughout the book.

To summarize, Heir of Uncertain Magic is entertaining and fast-paced. It takes off where book one ends and is best enjoyed if you read in the series order. While it works as a standalone, it may not be a great read.
Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I LOVED the first book in this series. Unfortunately, the promise of the first book was not fulfilled by the second book. This needed additional time in the revision process to polish it to the necessary degree. Characterization is choppy, the story has organizational issues, and the formatting choices for the characters' thoughts, communion voices, combined with the author's overuse of italics in the text ended up making this a real slog.

From the publisher:
Thanks to house tamer Hulda Larkin, the mischief infesting Whimbrel House has calmed. But if Hulda’s job is done, what does that mean for Merritt Fernsby, inheritor of the remote Narragansett Bay estate, who’s only now coming to terms with his enchanted place in the world?

Merritt has realized his own burgeoning powers, which draw the thoughts of every plant, insect, and dog. His nights are sleepless, with an uncontrollable cacophony of voices that compel a long-overdue search into his uncanny bloodline. It’s not the only puzzle uniting Merritt and his ex-housekeeper, Hulda. Her friend and former employer at the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has disappeared. Hulda herself is up for the now-vacant position of institute director, and her rival for the role is a stranger who’s suspiciously curious about Whimbrel House—and could have connections to an old foe.

As Merritt struggles to face his estranged family and Hulda dives into the institute’s secrets, the two are brought intimately closer than ever into the mysteries of wizardry, chaos, and love.

Heir of Uncertain Magic by Charlie N. Holmberg is expected to be released April 11, 2023 from 47North.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this follow up to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg. Once again we are following the adventures of Hulda Larkin and Merritt Fernsby. We get to see how their relationship grows and how they feel about each other deepens.

While the villain in this one is less physically active than the previous, he is still a bad egg. He affects people's emotions and how they feel about what they are experiencing or thinking. He's still villainous. And I hesitate to say that there may be a small opening for the villain from book one to return at some point in a future volume. There is definitely room for a book three in the series.

The pace of the book is somewhat faster than book one. There are still lulls, but they are naturally occurring, make sense, and don't detract from the story. The closer the story gets to the end of the book, the faster the action goes. It is very difficult to put down as it approaches the climax.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's a well written historical fantasy. I would recommend it to people who enjoy tales of magic, historical fantasies, and historical urban fantasies. I enjoyed reading how the magic in this world works. Everything has a price. The more fantastic the magic, the bigger the price. This is a must-read if you've read book one in the Whimbrel House series. I'm already looking forward to the third book. This is definitely worth a read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the follow-up to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms and a delightful follow-up. Merrit Fernsby is back writing but is struggling with his newly awakened magic abilities, particularly communionism (sp?), which means he hears not only Owein (his eight times great uncle), who now resides in a cute dog, but also the grass, trees, flowers, and it is causing a cacophony in his mind that keeps him from sleeping. Not to mention he has past familial issues he needs to handle and put to rest in order to know if there are relatives who might help him learn to control his magic. Hulda, the no-longer spinster who is new to relationships, an employee of BIKER (Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms), is navigating an investigation from LIKER (London Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) and trying to navigate with utmost propriety her blossoming relationship with Merrit. It's all so daunting for our found family who is living at Whimbrel House. And things only intensify as the mystery of BIKER'S director, Myra, builds and suspicious characters come to light.

All of this keeps you entertained as Hulda tries to solve the mystery, and Merrit works to keep Hulda safe and protect Owein and the rest of Whimbrel House while still hearing the wind and trees talking to him. Owein (the precious and precocious pup that he is) does not want to be alone. It makes for a delightful cozy fantasy mystery and will undoubtedly leave you smiling and hopeful Merrit and Hulda might have future adventures.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is a quaint and unputdownable book in the Whimbrel House series (there’s more to come!). It has budding romance, unique magic, mystery, and character development. Charlie has done it yet again. Her books are an instant buy for me and I recommend them to anyone and everyone. I cannot wait to read more in this series!

Thank you #47North , #CharlieNHolmberg and #NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I received a copy of this work from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second novel in the Whimbrel House series and is a fascinating novel. I enjoyed this book quite a lot, even going into it blind as I had not read the first book. The authors ability to invoke and handle an oddly intriguing alternate timeline and an unusual system of magic shows a strong foundation and an adept hand at worldbuilding. I look forward to more from Charlie N. Holmberg.

The novel embraces detective, fantasy, period piece and alternate history aspects and would be appealing to anyone who enjoys such themes. 9 out of 10.

Heir of Uncertain Magic brings readers back to the enchanting world of Whimbrel House. After the dramatic ending to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, Merritt Fernsby is determined to find out more about his heritage and whatever power he may possess. Hulda Larkin has begun to think of a life beyond being a “housekeeper” as her relationship with Merritt grows. With the disappearance of her former boss, the BIKER office gains new overseers. Hulda soon finds herself having to prove that she is not only valuable to BIKER but that neither she nor Merritt are magical threats.

Heir of Uncertain Magic is the second book in the Whimbrel House series. It can not be read as a stand-alone. A majority of the characters and the storyline carry over from the first book, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. The two books take place almost back to back. There is about a month from the end of book one to the start of book two.

Now that everything with Whimbrel House has settled, this book focuses predominantly on Merritt and Hulda. There is more of a romance growing between the pair but they both also display a great deal of personal growth throughout the story. While they are working together at times, they also show their strengths as they work through their own difficulties. I loved seeing the variety of relationships that develop throughout the book, especially with Owein. I don’t want to play favorites but he might be my favorite.

I found the plot of this book to be more intricate than the first book. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms has a solitary focal point, while Heir of Uncertain Magic has several additional side plots that are all delicately woven together. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger but it sets readers up nicely for the next book in the series. I know it’ll be well worth the wait.

This is such a unique series! I can’t wait to see how it finishes out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and 47North!

Wow. Just wow. You'll never know what you'll get with the second book in a series. Will you love it as much as you loved the first book? Or will it disappoint you? In this case ... it definitely did not disappoint. The characters that you grew to love in the first book show more of their personalities (and secrets). A whole new crazy problem presented itself (and I didn't know where else this book could go after the amazing conclusion of the first book!). I don't want to give anything away. Just do yourself a favor and read it already!

I loved this book!! I loved being back in the Whimbrel House world! Loved that there is more romance between Merritt and Hulda! Loved the mystery and the constant twists that kept me guessing how things would work out. Such a good book! I had a hard time putting it down! I was sad when it ended!

Content: attempted murder, suspenseful moments
Romance: kisses/make outs

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Cosy Fantasy, Cottagecore Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Romance Fantasy
Spice Level: Sweet
Tropes: Snob/Slob, Grumpy/Sunshine
Format: Multi-POV

HEIR OF UNCERTAIN MAGIC is the second, and this is one you must read in order.

I love to see the progression of the relationship of Hulda and Merritt. It's definitely a slow burn.

The heat notches up tremendously in the last third of the book. In the beginning, I was a little confused not understanding where the trajectory of the story was heading. And really that was a me problem—I just kept wondering if I was really supposed to care about Myra after her previous choices. However, I was anxious for the company BIKER.

And I was even more concerned for how the bad wizards, chaos surrounding Merritt's magic, and the back and forth with Hulda would cause in the central love story. I laughed aloud over Hulda several times, especially with her visions (*cough* one in particular). Merritt's family situation had me invested in him to see IF he could resolve it. There's great stuff in here to pique your interest all around.

I'm thinking there's going to be another in this series. There's certainly room to grow with this one to answer more questions. HEIR OF UNCERTAIN MAGIC gave me a satisfying ending point even though I have other questions.

I highly recommend this book!

Happy reading!

Without having read the first book in the series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. While I didn't realize it was part of a continuous story when I first picked it up, the author's skillful descriptions and attention to detail provided ample background information to understand the characters and plot.
This novel is a captivating blend of magical and fantasy elements woven into a suspenseful story about friendships, betrayal, and romance. The author spares nobody's feelings as the story unfolds, from the young and still-learning Owein to the big changes happening at the highest levels of the company.
At first, I was a bit confused about where the story was heading, but once I became familiar with the main characters, I was hooked. The big picture soon emerged, and I found myself fully engaged until the very end. Now, I am left with a sense of curiosity and a desire to know what happens next. The open ending left me with so many questions that I hope will be answered in future installments.
Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of magical and fantasy fiction, as well as those who enjoy suspenseful and character-driven stories. While I don't plan to go back and read the first book, I think it's necessary to fully appreciate and enjoy this one if you want to read it.

Thank you NetGalley and 47North for the ARC! In the Heir of Uncertain Magic, a sequel to Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, Merritt Fernsby discover the secrets of his lineage and seek out a method to control his new-found abilities. Meanwhile Hulda, housekeeper of Whimbrel House is dealing with the disappearance of her boss, Myra, and BIKER (her place of employment) is under investigation by the LIKER which could either cost Hulda her job or offer her a promotion. This volume also continues the adorable romance between Merritt and Hulda. It's a worthwhile read perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle.

The first half of this book was very meandering and I wasn’t really sure what the plot was going to be. It was disappointing after the first book which had pretty constant action. The book picked up quite a bit in the second half but was kind of confusing. There were some annoyingly big words used that pulled me out of the story and Hulda is so uptight and stubborn that I really got annoyed with her personality. I appreciate the advance copy from Netgalley!

After reading and loving Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, I was excited to return to Whimbrel House with Hulda, Merritt, and of course Owein. Hulda no longer has Silas to worry about, and Merritt sets about learning about his newly discovered magical abilities, but life is not all sunshine and roses. They are now faced with problems at BIKER as the previous head of the organization has quit and disappeared and members of LIKER have swept in to determine how to move forward. Unfortunately, these folks are not entirely who they appear to be and trouble ensues for the residents of Whimbrel House. Also, Owein is a dog and is learning how to manage his magic while also facing the idea of immortality.

As much as I loved Keeper, this one fell short for me. I didn't connect with the characters or feel invested in the problems. It felt like they weren't connected with one another either. It was okay as a second book, but I wanted something more engaging.

Beautiful 9.5/10

Whimbrel House is an enchanted house (is it?! read the first book!) Merritt Fernsby its heir with uncertain magic has to discover his potential with his (former) housekeeper, Hulda, luckily they are not alone, family is important, with the help of eight-times-great-uncle, lovely Owein and chef Baptiste, they can pass his challenge (Can they? read this book)

Honestly Whimbrel House Series is so unique, spectacular, the idea is special, very engaging and heartwarming story with lots of fun, the characters are exceptional and I LOVE it.

The story continues after the events of book one, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, there are more secrets to reveal and adventures to go. I suggest reading this series in order to better know of characters and their relationship and also finer understanding of the story to follow.

If you did not read the first book, is better to avoid the below for a spoiler

and what the story is about?!

Merritt Fernsby is communionist for sure (besides other magical gifts he may have from his unknown ancestors), He can communicate with Owein (Oh, how much I love him!) and also with, trees, mouses, moths, spiders and you know, all...
Wiiiiiiiiind. hide. hide. hide. hunt. hunt. hunt. food. food. food. food. run. run. run...

When I was a child, my greatest wish was to have this gift...

I get sentimental...

right, the story

Myra Haigh, the director of BIKER (Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) vanished and some not-very-straight-forward people came from LINKER (London Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms) to investigate and assign a new director.

Hulda Larkin, my favorite housekeeper, as much as she wants to be the director and take care of BIKER, also wants to protect her friend, Myra. Hulda is worried about her and starts searching for any clue to find Myra.

"Merritt didn’t think Hulda Larkin could relax. God had made her out of steel and concrete and laced her together with thick whale-boned corsets. Something they would have to work on."

Things get messy and complicated as couple of the year, Hulda and Merritt digging the past and look for Myra. Someone is/or are using illegal magic!

In the end, I should mention as a geologist I love the stones part, now I just keep thinking about how manipulating elements with quartz, how to use my obsidians for chaocracy, or how to read people's minds with azurite (I'm going to regret that!), and where the hell I can find selenite for communication??!!

My huge thanks to 47North via NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this beautiful book, Heir of Uncertain Magic (Whimbrel House #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg, I have given my very honest review.

Another enjoyable tale by an enjoyable author. I do feel like this story/series hasn't been as strong as some of her others, but it was still worthy of reading, to be sure. The flirtation fell a little flat for me this time around, with Hulda barely playing along, mostly just calling Merritt a rake... but that's probably my only complaint.

Sweet gentle period fantasy. Lovely romance too. Very PG, PG-13 if you prefer to avoid the explicit. Definitely a book for someone that likes good characters. I don’t think I’ve read quite everything by this author but I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by them.

I did not like this book quite as much as the first, but I love the characters and the world and will continue to read the series. It is still a quick and fun read, engaging my curiosity about what is to come and keep reading. I love a good chosen family story with just enough mystery and suspense. I am also excited to know there is more to come in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

I have long been an admirer of Charlie N Holmbergs works but have found a new passion in this series. It is just so compelling and quirky, the second in the series being just as good as the first, loving it.